Growing up I was the kid that always had her head in a book. I would read and study fervently, ace my classes, and was even named the “academic wiz” at my school, but it never felt that meaningful to me. My heart longed to contribute to the world in a bigger way. I have come to understand and appreciate the importance of working in an environment where I can be challenged to grow in ways far beyond what can be learned in a book. ISSA has been a place where I have learned important lessons, such as valuing curiosity and progression, while also learning about immigrant culture, and growing my communication skills, all of which I desire to share with my friends and family.
One of the most important lessons I learned is to focus on the process of growth, rather than the outcome, and to always ask questions. By focusing on growth, rather than outcome, my work felt meaningful and significant, and I was motivated to put in many hours because I understood that I could contribute to the organization in a meaningful way, and grow as a person. This motivated me to work out of passion, rather than seeking perfection. Along the way. I also learned to ask more questions, igniting a sense of curiosity in me, which also helped push me forward to work with a joyful heart. I have learned that I want to be someone who is always intentional to consider my progression, growth, questions/curiosities, and let that push me to work with sincerity, joy, and passion.
I also found it exciting to learn about what immigrants go through. Having been raised in an American family my cultural identity has only been American, but I realized that two worlds were often colliding for students with two different cultural backgrounds. Students want to feel accepted and belong with their peers, but they may struggle to fit in because of their cultural differences, or they don’t know how to authentically hold onto their former culture and the American culture around them. One student I worked with even talked about forgetting her native language for a time. These identity tensions are very sobering and have taught me just one of the many challenges that immigrants face.
However, beyond what I have learned, I have been challenged in ways that have helped me grow and develop as a person. Though I still have a need for improvement I have grown in my communication skills. Starting at ISSA I had a hard time structuring my thoughts in a way that was clear and organized. Often when I would talk I would trail off, weaving from idea to idea, without making much sense, however, as the internship went on I was challenged to explain my ideas with structure and clarity. By the end of my internship when I would provide feedback on students’ essays I could tell that students were able to understand what I was saying the majority of the time, and it has become much easier to talk and communicate with one another.
Going away from this experience, I want to share with my friends and family what I learned from this internship, as I have explained in this testimonial. I hope to encourage my friends by sharing that they can make it far in life when they trust their ability to be able to accomplish any task in front of them, even if it is uncomfortable because that is how growth happens. Ultimately, I want to inspire others by sharing the lessons that I have learned.
ISSA has taught me to appreciate progression over perfection and curiosity; I’ve gained important communication skills, and I hope to share what I have learned with my friends. ISSA has truly been such a blessing for me, and my heart is filled with gratitude for this experience and community. I am glad that I have been pushed outside of my comfort zone, of just knowledge or study, to make an impact on the lives of students and grow substantially throughout the process.
Written by Joy Holmes (Nationality: American)
